Waking up this morning, I found a troubling sight. 

“What are you doing?”

Placing the first aid kit down, I sat in front of Jun Hong in the tent. He stared back at me with his slightly bruised face and while questioning my actions.

“I’m treating your injuries.” I answered blankly and opened the kit to pull out what I needed.

“I don’t need you to.”

Before he could get up and leave, I reach up and tug him back down. “If you don’t stay still, I won’t let Dae Hyun train you again.”

Knowing he couldn’t afford that, he behaved.

I gently placed ointment onto the small cuts on his face and hands. “Is the training hard?”

“No.” Jun Hong responded curtly. 

“What did you guys do?”

“Do I have to report everything to you?”

I stopped my movements and met his eyes. “Is it troublesome if you do?”

He clicked his tongue. “Why do you suddenly care about what I do?”

“Because we’re family.” I responded shortly. Jun Hong doesn’t offer any response in his dumbfounded state and I got back to bandaging his cuts. “Please don’t go overboard with training today.”

Jun Hong eyed me while I got up on my feet. 

“Is he hiding in here?” Dae Hyun appeared before me and peered into the open tent.

“I wasn’t hiding.” Jun Hong was quick to retort. 

“Then, hurry up.”

Jumping to his feet, Jun Hong met up with the Knight.

“You too, Dae Hyun.” I spoke out before either could leave. “Be careful.”

Sending me a quick nod, Dae Hyun started off with Jun Hong following after him. 

***

Slowly opening his eyes, Yong Guk found himself on the ground – his cheek pressed against the cool floor. 

How long was he out for?

But, that wasn’t important – what was important was that he was no longer in hell. He rolled onto his back and breathed out. He felt the relief that seemed impossible to reach to him just the night before.

Yong Guk turned his head to find Him Chan still fast asleep beside him.

Darting his tongue out, Yong Guk tried to wet his dry lips. Suddenly, the door to the room opens up and he stares up into the ceiling in alert.

He couldn’t tell who it was.

His nose couldn’t pick up a scent. 

Slowly, the individual comes into view and she looks down at him. “Yong Guk, are you alright?”

Yong Guk forces himself to sit up and upon getting over that initial obstacle, he tries to stand on his feet next. While adding strength, his legs staggered and Serri reached out to help him up. 

Before her fingers could skim his skin, he pulled his arm away.

“Don’t touch me.” It was so tiring for him to say that and his tone depicted it all. 

Even after hearing his words, Serri couldn’t wave away her concerns. “But, Yong Guk, you’re going to fall over at this rate.“

“I can handle it.” 

Yong Guk leaves the room and moves out into the hallway. His hand reached out for the wall to help hold up his weight. 

The tiredness increased tremendously when he realized he was in a foreign place. He didn’t know how to move around King Hee Bin’s castle. So, where would he go from here?

Before he could think further, his vision begins to blur. Shaking his head was useless and only causes additional imbalance. He drops to his knees and plants his hands upon the floor. 

It was getting harder to keep his eyes open and not before long, he decided to not fight it any longer. 

***

Slowly, the soft voice met his ears. His brows furrowed as it chased away his drowsiness. 

“Yong Guk, here’s some water.”

Opening his eyes, he found Serri staring down at him with a clear glass in her hand. He struggled slightly by propping himself up by his elbow and reached out for the glass. Bringing it up to his lips, he discovered comfort in the cool liquid that traveled down his throat. 

“Where am I?” He asked upon realizing he was now in a bed.

“I found a room. I figured it would be more comfortable than the hallway floor.” She answered. 

“You can go now.”

“Why don’t you want to accept my help?” She asked immediately after his words.

“Because I don’t need it.” 

They held each other gazes for a moment before Yong Guk was the first to divert his eyes.

“You don’t want help or is it that you don’t want my help?” After finding it hard to wait for his response, Serri was quick to end it. “Don’t answer that.” She knew what it would be anyway without hearing it.

“Where’s Seonjang?” He changed the topic but she was noticeably dismayed by how detached he was.

She avoided his eyes. “He’s in the same state as you all.”

He took the red pill also. 

Unable to keep standing there, Serri quickly provided an excuse. “I’m going to check on the others.”

Watching the door close behind her, Yong Guk only breathe out when he was by himself. He falls back and lies back down. 

Just a little more. Just until he gains a bit more trust from Seonjang.

***

“Yoggu was captured?” I couldn’t imagine that. “How is that possible? Yoggu has troops, they could have defended themselves.”

“Because the battle is taking place at the border of Him and Sowon, most of those troops were moved there.” Bolt responds. “King Gang Han’s decision.”

He was back with another unfortunate update. 

“He sure knows freaking best.” Dae Hyun muttered to himself.

“So, what happens to Yoggu? How are the people?”

“It’s impossible to get an update from within the region so I don’t know, Queen Hae Won.” The Knight looked back at me apologetically. 

“You didn’t sense them last night?” I looked towards my Knights.

They shook their heads. The Werewolves slipped by without raising any awareness. 

“We’re no longer safe here.” I suddenly realized. 

“Is there anything I can do?” Bolt offered but I shook my head.

“For now, return back to the castle before they notice you’re gone.”

Once the Knight left, Bronze stepped forward. “I’ll figure out a plan – “

“This won’t do.” We continue to run and now, we’re left with a dead end. “Let’s take back Yoggu.”

“Us?” Dae Hyun blurted. “That isn’t meant to be won by us.”

“Mister, is it possible?”

“It depends on how many we would have to fight to take it back.” The older Knight responds.

“Don’t encourage that thought.” Dae Hyun continued raising objections. “There are five towns in Yoggu, each town guarded by rebels.”

“I know it’s risky but where would we go, Dae Hyun?” I questioned him softly. “We would either end up in the grasps of King Gang Han or Seonjang…wouldn’t you rather fight?”

Hearing my reasoning, he doesn’t offer up a response right away.

“Here – how about we think about it.” I suggested. Something at this scale couldn’t be decided so rashly. “And we’ll come together again to make a choice.”

Turning away from the Knights, I went back to the tent. Minutes later, Jun Hong joined and sat down beside me.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?” He sure does have a lot of curiosities.

“Which side are you on, exactly?” He peered at me. 

I breathed in while thinking over his question. “I’m on the side of compromise.”

“So, you agree with the Werewolves?”

“They’re no longer fighting for compromise.” They’re in the midst of war – they’re all fighting for victory. “Right now, I want to save as many people as we can.”

“Why is this your problem to solve?”

I turned and met Jun Hong’s eyes. “I realized something lately, Jun Hong.” I begin slowly. “For a while, I convinced myself that every decision I make, it’s to protect the people closest to me. But, I was lying.” Once discovering what it was, a